EPISODE 05 / POPTONES AND THE ART OF SAYING NO
Of Sound and Fury: The Music Behind the Madness
FROM THE ARCHIVE: THE KIDS WANT A LITTLE ACTION
By 2014, music was calling me back. After surviving a battle with cancer, I felt a shift—like I had unfinished business. I hadn’t released an album in 15 years, but the fire to create was stronger than ever. I wasn’t just making a record. I was reclaiming a part of myself.
POPTONES
I managed to bring together some incredible musicians for a cover of Public Image Ltd.’s “Poptones.” Knowing they heard something in my music that made them want to be part of it was an unforgettable feeling—pure validation. Vernon Reid recorded at his studio in Brooklyn and sent stems of his takes. Jesse Dayton and Brad Houser tracked their parts at my studio in Austin. No one heard what the others were doing, but they trusted me to make it all work.
The track gained early traction when KUTX in Austin picked it up, but behind the scenes, I was wrestling with a decision. The original bass line, one I had recorded, never quite sat right with me. I wasn’t sold on it, and despite having a single release planned, I pulled the plug. Something about it felt forced, my bass made it clunky and it didn’t serve the original well. The luster of doing a cover song had lost its appeal.
THE KIDS WANT A LITTLE ACTION
But I just couldn’t let go of what I had. These performances were too strong, the energy too compelling. So instead of scrapping everything completely, I stripped it down and rebuilt something entirely new. What emerged felt organic, like every decision was guiding me toward something meant to be. Dayton’s sweet, melodic section, originally the middle section of Poptones, became the intro. Then my two guitar parts panned left and right took over, setting the stage before Vernon scorched his way into the track, delivering the kind of fire only he can. Then there was Brad, his sax playing soulful and irreplaceable, adding a richness that completed the sound. The track slowed, took a breath, and then the groove hit. That ending section… man, I still love it.
There’s a certain magic in reshaping raw material, in letting a song evolve into something completely different from its original intent. And to have these incredible musicians, these badasses, give their nod of approval meant everything. They knew I approached this track with the deepest respect, and that acknowledgment was the ultimate praise.
Now, a decade later, I feel this track has aged beautifully. It holds a special place for me, not just because of how it sounds, but because of the memories. The collaboration, the process, the transformation. These moments are what make music so much more than just sound. They’re a part of who we are. And this track? It’s a part of me.
SOMETHING OLD
THE WHO / Eminence Front / Toronto 1982
In Toronto, 1982, The Who delivered a powerhouse set, with Eminence Front standing out as a slick, moody highlight. Pete Townshend, in full rock-god mode, took center stage with his brooding vocals and hypnotic synth riff, while Roger Daltrey let the song’s swagger do the talking. The tension in the air was electric—this was The Who embracing the ‘80s with style. Eminence Front was a cool, late-night anthem that pulled the crowd into its hypnotic groove.
SOMETHING NEW
SLEAFORD MODS / “Mork n Mindy” / Featuring Billy Nomates / Glastonbury 2022
At Glastonbury, Sleaford Mods brought their signature gritty, no-nonsense energy to the stage, spitting razor-sharp social commentary over pulsating beats. The highlight? Billie Nomates joining them for Mork n Mindy, turning the festival moment into a rowdy, hypnotic anthem of working-class surrealism. Jason Williamson’s sneering delivery, Andrew Fearn’s ever-present beer-in-hand head bob, and Billie’s raw, defiant presence made for a chaotic yet captivating performance—pure, unfiltered post-punk electronic brilliance.
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Life has a way of showing us who we really are. Music helps me make sense of it, and sharing these stories connects the dots.
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Not in a music related way, but I can relate to this from the creative's POV. I started work on a photo book in 2024 and tried to jam in a narrative I had written with it, but the two together just ... didn't ... work. I left it behind for a year, but the images still were calling me, and I rebuilt it into what it is now. Very proud of it, just as proud as you should be of this reconstruction.
Tearing down to build anew isn’t exactly fun, but can be almost a courageous act, if that makes sense. Doubly so when it’s a collaborative project.
Not for nothing, but “Eminence Front” is my favorite song by The Who. In MTV’s early days, that was one of those I’d wait all hour to watch.